How much would/do you pay for a chicken sitter?

[PirateGirl]

I have laid my pet sitter approximately $100 for a week. He also looked after the other pets and we will also watch his dog if needed while he is out of town. I feel I should pay him more. He would probably do it for free (friend). So about $20 a day seems to work for both of us. I tend to to throw in something like a case of beer or food or something to show appreciation as well.

 

[AmberKnits]

Last time we needed a pet sitter I had a young woman who is a family friend stay at our house. We were gone a week, in addition to the chickens she took care of our cats, dog, rabbits and goldfish. I paid her $200.

My kids take care of the neighbors animals when they go out of town, a couple little dogs, a horse, cats, ducks, rabbit and a turtle. I won’t let her pay them more than $100 a week (they are kids!!).

I guess if someone were driving out to my house a couple times a day I’d pay like $10 a trip.

 

[ehoneybee]

It might.
2 more additions of birds,
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/do-i-really-need-to-quarantine.1232966/page-3#post-19796761,
can be problematic unless they integrate smoothly and as quickly as you hope,
something an experienced keeper might be fine with, but...

We're not planning to leave for another week and a half, but yeah, just realised that only leaves us a few days with the newest flock before we had planned to leave.

 

[ehoneybee]

We're not planning to leave for another week and a half, but yeah, just realised that only leaves us a few days with the newest flock before we had planned to leave.

We can always wait until we return to pick up the next 4. The family is kind of doing us a favour by letting her chickens go earlier than planned because we lost our 2 and she wants them to go to a good home and our hen not to be lonely.

 

[Aslea]

Pet Sitter here. For just 3 birds, just feeding/watering, general checkup and collecting eggs I'd start at $5 per visit if within 5 miles and go up from there ($5 being a base price as I wouldn't use up any gas going that far). As a reference, most of my clients are 20 miles away (in a specific subdivision) and we charge them $18 per visit. You have to factor in gas for them + at least a small profit or it just isn't worth it for them.

As far as making sure you find someone appropriate. Have them come during a regular time for your birds (ie morning feeding or evening feeding). Have them do everything you want them to do while you tell them, instead of you showing them. Leave a detailed list of instructions. A good sitter won't be upset by having things dumbed down, even if they have chicken experience (everyone cares for their animals differently). Be sure to leave an emergency/catastrophe number, a number for a preferred veterinarian, and all numbers to contact you. Emergency number is for if something bad happens, like a tree falls on your coop or they drive up and your front door is busted in (not that they'd have to go in your house but it'd be nice for them to just look and make sure things are ok). Emergency number is someone you trust to come take care of home damage.